How to Use Live Video for Employer Branding

How to Use Live Video for Employer Branding Periscope is a great tool for live broadcasting a social campaign, but how should you go about it? We spoke to  Lars Schmidt, founder of Amplify Talent and employer brand strategist at Hootsuite to find out more. You can listen to the conversation on iTunes and Soundcloud, questions by me and answers by Lars. What was Operation Follow the Sun and where did you get the name from? The story of Follow the Sun started at South by Southwest. Ambrosia and I were at Craig Fishers TalentNet  conference  and we were having a conversation, Meerkat just launched. And we were using Meerkat to live stream a live podcast that we were doing. We were talking about the employer branding kind of possibilities of live-streaming in general. So about a few weeks later, Periscope came out and that was right around the time that I came on to Hootsuite. So Ambrosia and I were having a conversation around how we could use Periscope to really convey the global scope of Hootsuite. We were operating in nine different offices. We wanted to make sure we could help prospects get a sense of that global footprint. And then also, the unique culture within Hootsuite. We thought live streaming would be an interesting way to do that. So the idea was we wanted to start in Singapore and actually work our way East, around the globe throughout the day, showcasing a different office every hour on th e hour. So we started in Singapore, we moved to Bucharest, moved to London, to Boston, to São Paulo. All the way over to the headquarters in Vancouver. And the idea of Follow the Sun was we wanted to literally Follow the Sun as it turned around the earth.   Tell us about the Twitter handle @HootsuiteLife and the hashtag #HootsuiteLife? Yes, so @HootsuiteLife, the Twitter handle, is the primary recruiting and employer branding handle for the HR team. Thats our primary, what I would consider to be, HR/recruiting/employer branding handle on Twitter. We use that to interact with fans. We use that to promote the HR and recruiting team. We use that to participate in chats and Periscopes and things like this. HootsuiteLife is really kind of the anchor employer branding asset, if you will. But all employees are empowered to use that, whether theyre periscoping, tweeting, posting stuff on Instagram, or even Facebook. The volume of that hashtag is massive. And its all, for the most part, employee-generated content. So, again, from a recruiting perspective, its really easy for us to showcase and show people what the culture at Hootsuite is all about. We can share that hashtag and we have a link to Hootsuite campaigns URL that actually aggregates all of the content on that hashtag into a branded page. It allows us to actually show prospects or applicants what its like to work here. And the kind of people theyll be working with. So that becomes a really authentic and powerful recruiting tool. What are other company life hashtags to check out? #NPRLife is one that still has a lot of traction. #AdobeLife is another one of the early pioneers. Then you start to see other things like TripAdvisor, has #GoTripAdvisor. So youre starting to see other versions of it. Salesforce.com has #dreamjob. Well the dream jobs a little trickier because other people will just randomly use the hashtag #dreamjob. So, the volume is a little misleading. Its not all Salesforce content, but I think most major companies these days that are active on social have a #(whatever)life or some variation of that to empower their employees to show their culture. Lets face it. I mean, recruiters are biased. Were trying to bring people into our organisation. So, I can tele-prospect about what our culture is, but its much more effective, I think, if I can show them an unfiltered view. Because the reality is, thats going to attract some people, its also going to repel some people. Some people are going to see that and say, You know what? Thats not for me. And both of those outcomes are good. What will happen in the social HR space over the next three years? Im curious to see how virtual reality continues to mature. Oculus is obviously getting a lot of buzz. There will be more platforms coming on the market soon. I think if virtual does become fairly mainstream, I think that there could be some really interesting implications for recruiting and hiring with that. I think were also starting to see, this is something Im really happy about, a shift in approach around job descriptions, because  as much as I think recruiting has evolved over the last couple years, and particularly in recruiting technology, job descriptions, for the most part, havent. Theyre probably one of the least evolved tools we have in recruiting, so Im starting to see more visual job descriptions, more dynamic job descriptions, more video job descriptions, and most importantly, mobile-optimised job descriptions as well. Connect with Lars  on Twitter @ThisIsLars  and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.

Communication Techniques That Sell - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Communication Techniques That Sell - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Are you attracting interest? Two entrepreneurs were helping one another. Jane suggested to Jill she use the following opening line in regard to encountering gatekeepers: “I believe you can help me.” This would be used in to get the name of the CEO of the respective company. But I taken exception with that phrase. This sounds almost like a demand in that the help is expected. The person uttering the words would not have an idea if the receptionist is under pressure to get a project out the door or if an emergency just arose. Should this be the case, the sentence is disrespectful. To get started on a better footing when you walk cold into a lobby or call cold on the phone to make such an inquiry, it is far better to ask, “I was wondering if you can help me?” This approach allows for exceptions and shows due respect. The end result is the other person will be far more inclined to ask what this is in regard to and will then try to assist. Approaching others through all mediums in the same manner will set you apart from the rest. Balancing the give and take will produce many more connections and good ones at that. For instance, do you post useable content for free on the social media sites? Many people think this is folly but the following scenario took place yesterday and is typical in today’s environment: Rick messaged John that his article on Facebook was perfectly timed because he was having difficulty in that area. John offered to coach Rick over the phone at no charge for 30 minutes to provide a few extra pointers. The end result was, Rick agreed to further services and also mentioned he knew of others that needed the same and would make the introductions. A cautionary note is to make certain you are accommodating within agreeable limits and that others are not taking advantage without reciprocity. Social media makes it easy to see what others respond to so that you may develop additional related products and services. People who are interested in your area of expertise will find you and ask to connect. Finding you helpful will further build your followings due to testimonials, positive commentary and referrals. And when you meet prospects for the first time, ask what caught their attention. By beginning the process from the other person’s point of view, a better-grounded conversation and relationship begin to be established. This encourages sharing of details that might not otherwise be shared. In the end, you know precisely what the other person needs and possibly extras they will benefit from. Equally important is you will know how to position your offerings to their interests. Moving within well-defined boundaries while assisting others along with graciously receiving help will attract much interest. When your personal brand includes professionalism business grows well. The end result is you will encourage larger sales, repeat business, referrals and testimonials â€" all of which will put you on the wave of the Smooth Sale! Author: Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, (800) 704-1499; was designated as a “Top 25 Sales Influencer for 2012.” Elinor authored the International Best-Selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results”, Sourcebooks and best selling, “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews”, Career Press.

Avoid These Top 10 Job Interview Mistakes

Avoid These Top 10 Job Interview Mistakes Some interview mistakes are common sense, but some mistakes arent always obvious. Treat this Independence University  infographic as a refreshing recap of the interview essentials, such as: not lying during an interview, showing enthusiasm for the job youre interviewing for, and dont  fumble your answers. Im not trying to tell you how to live your life, but hey, you should  consider  this  advice. Takeaways: Stay alert,  make sure your posture is good and that you keep eye contact with the interviewer. Tempting as it may be to wear your new gloss-white tracksuit, dont turn up to your interview casual. You dont need to go overboard, but dress to impress. Smart casual wins everything forever. Talk the right amount is vital. You want to convey youre able to work with the interviewer, so its the delicate balance of speaking just the right amount. Keep enthusiastic and positive about the job. Dont use your phone in an interview. Ever. RELATED:  What NOT to Do in a Job Interview [INFOGRAPHIC] Whats the worst job interview mistake youve made? Let us know in the comments!

How to Finally Choose Your Life with 3 Simple Questions

How to Finally Choose Your Life with 3 Simple Questions Have you come to a point where you know something has to change in your life? You don’t know what exactly it is, but it has to change, now. Perhaps you no longer like, or maybe have never liked, what you are doing, and it is high time to remedy this situation.  You are in professional reconversion, more or less chosen, and you don’t know what to do now. Your life is such a mess that you don’t know what to do. You have done everything right so far. Up until this point, you have done what others expected of you â€" everything a good mother, a good wife, a good daughter, a good colleague, a good manager, a good husband, a good father, a good son was supposed to do. Now the time has come to think of yourself, to do things for you, to put yourself in the forefront of your life. If you recognize yourself in one of these situations, then this article may help you to open up perspectives you did not think were possible. Here are just three questions to help you choose your life: Are you really ready to change something in your life? And not only your bedroom wall color? Although, sometimes a simple change like wall color can be the trigger for a lot of other changes as a result! Be willing to commit to yourself and to the change you are seeking. So far, what was your percentage commitment to your life? Did you know that in general, we are committed to 20% maximum for our life? We are more committed to external causes or to the people who matter the most to us. And we put ourselves in last position. Is it time to do the latter? Even though it may cost you whatever it takes â€" will you commit to your life now and do all that is necessary to achieve your goal? Whats wrong with your life? Which domain does not suit you anymore? Pro, personal, social, family? This is a good time to take a step back from your life and your way of life. If you have the courage (and it is necessary) to look at it as objectively as possible, you will be able to analyze your situation and see what does not fit you anymore. If its your job, look at whats bothering you the most. For example, working with a team or not, company values ??that no longer match yours, work in itself, too much or not enough responsibility, Go to review every area of ??your life and ask yourself what works for you or not. It can also come from a recent change that you didn’t anticipate and that shakes up your habits. For example, when children have grown up and leave the house, this can have repercussions for you, even if this is the time you have been waiting for years! Empty nest syndrome affects both men and women and you must accept this change. A reorganization of daily life is often necessary. This is also the case when going into retirement. Its a big change that requires preparation and adaptation. As a couple, this is a tricky period because everyone must relearn to live according to each other and share the house 24/7. What do you like to do? What is this thing you do with so much pleasure and ease that you believe that is the case for everyone else as well? If you look closely, you probably arouse the admiration of those around you with this ability. Even if you haven’t recognized it yet. Do not limit yourself. It can be cooking, tinkering, creating decorative objects, driving, writing, singing No matter what it is, you can be proud of this ability. Now, what would it take for you to get some money with it? What would it need to adapt, create, or modify to make this activity you love so much a new source of income in your life? You might even be able to start a business with this idea and start having a different life doing what works for you. The other day, I was talking to a woman who was asking for change in her life and I asked her what she liked doing, which was easy for her. She loved creating paper flowers, lamps of all kinds and interior design. In discussing, she considered presenting her creations on Christmas markets in order to start to be known and sell the objects she had already created. This is surely the beginning of a great experience for this person who has been doing secretarial work for years. And nothing prevents her from cumulating these two activities. You do not have to leave your current job. You can simply add something to your life to transform it deeply. Choose Your Life! Whatever the starting situation is, take a step back and then look at what you would like to change. Even if its not very pleasant, be honest with yourself and choose for yourself first. In all egoism? No, the idea here is that by doing things for yourself, you become an invitation for others to change. How does it get even better? This guest post was authored by Laurence Favier Laurence  Favier  is a  Joy of Business Pioneer  and highly experienced corporate executive. After more than 30 years in senior IT roles, particularly in project management and operations,  Laurence  made a conscious decision to adopt a more fulfilling and nurturing approach to work and impending retirement. After discovering Access Consciousnessâ„¢,  Laurence  began to integrate these quick and effective tools into her own life, and to teach them to others. Her knowledge of the corporate world is an asset to her clients â€" as she offers relevant and effective training for businesses and business leaders, as well as valuable insights for the wellbeing of employees. She provides trainings, conferences, workshops and one-on-one sessions.

How do I Stand Out as an Intern Applicant With Minimal Experience CareerMetis.com

How do I Stand Out as an Intern Applicant With Minimal Experience â€" CareerMetis.com A few months ago, a student applied to my agency’s internship program with minimal experience. She had just finished her freshman year at college, and her resume didn’t have the multiple extra-curricular activities, the other applicants did.Yet, I hired her over dozens of students that had more robust resumes.evalHow did I know she was going to be one of the best interns we had that summer?Here’s how: from the get-go, she showcased her interest in the industry and the internship position, expressed her desire to learn and expand her knowledge, and demonstrated her enthusiasm for the opportunity.This taught me a valuable lesson about how students with little to no experience can stand out in the internship application process, and ultimately increase their chances of getting an offer.Make initial outreach countevalIt’s apparent from the first email that hits my inbox whether or not an applicant is genuinely interested in the internship. What many students don’t realize is th at every email they send is figuring into a manager’s impression of them.The moment you apply for a position, you are already interviewing. Applicants need to make sure:The email is personalized, not a mass message distributed to managers far and wide. While copying and pasting email after email may save you time in the application process, it’s not an effective way to get internship managers to notice you. Trust me, we can tell when an email is generic enough to have been sent to dozens of companies!You mention something about the company to demonstrate you’ve done research. This is a huge way to catch a manager’s attention and show that you’re interested in the company, not just interested in any internship you can get. Take that extra minute to find one relevant tidbit about the company, and incorporate that into your initial outreach.The tone is inviting for future correspondence. Let the receiver know that you’re enthusiastic about the internship by saying you’d b e happy to answer any questions they may have, provide additional information if necessary and that you look forward to hearing from them.The moment you click send on that first email, the interview has started. So always make it count!Be upfront and honestA few weeks after the intern I mentioned earlier applied to the internship opportunity, she sent the following message:“I just wanted to follow up on my application for your summer internship opportunity and again express my interest in this position. I realize I do not have much experience but I would love to learn about this field and gain the skills needed for this industry.”evalThe honesty of her message stood out among the other application emails I receive on a regular basis. While confidence is valuable in internship searching, if you don’t have as much experience, sometimes it works to infuse a bit of humility.In addition, the effort of following up shows that she was still very interested in the opportunity and genu inely wanted to speak about it. It was this follow-up message that motivated me to schedule an interview with her.Follow upevalAs highlighted above, following up is one of the most effective ways to stand out as an internship applicant. Many don’t want to hear this, but calling a manager on the phone after applying makes a huge difference. This demonstrates enthusiasm and commitment to the opportunity and puts you way ahead of the competition.Every student that has called me after applying to our internship program has received an offer. Even if you don’t follow up via phone call,make sureto follow up via email.Many internship managers get multiple application emails at once, so your original outreach may have gotten lost in the mix. Following up is necessary!Highlight transferrable skillsWhile your resume may not be packed with professional internships, you still have plenty to offer to a company through yourtransferable skills.Scour the internship requirements and see how you can connect things you’ve already done to what the company needs. Consider all your past jobs, class projects, volunteer experiences, and any clubs you’re a part of.For example: if you’re applying to a public relations internship, how would your job at the pizzeria connect?Transferable skills include:the communication skills you needed when speaking on the phone,customer service when working with challenging individuals,social media experience when your boss asked you to help with the pizzeria’s Instagram,and management when you had to train and supervise your replacement.Get creative with it!Once you get your first internship and/or do a few class projects related to your major you’ll have more relevant experience to replace summer jobs at a pizzeria. But until then, try to distill any transferrable skills you can from past experience.evalevalBe enthusiasticAll throughout the application process, it’s integral to showcase your enthusiasm. Experience on a resume is nothi ng without enthusiasm for the work you’d be doing.As an internship manager, I can get an application from the most qualified student with all the relevant experience in the world, but if they’re not passionate or eager to make the most out of the opportunity, that past experience doesn’t matter.The intern in the example above was not the most experienced applicant I received, but her outstanding enthusiasm let me know she’d put forth a lot of effort to make the most out of the internship. So make sure the hiring manager knows how genuinely interested you are to make the most out of the opportunity.Even if, after all this effort, you don’t get the internship you were working towards, you have other options. Once the process is finished:evalAsk the hiring manager if there is there anything you could do to be more competitive to employers in the future. This shows that you’re eager to learn and develop as a candidate, and you value their feedback.Stay connected to the compa ny and individuals you worked with along the way. Keep in touch with them, and share updates about how you’re taking their advice and getting more experience. You never know when another internship opportunity will open up!You canget that internship offer, so keep hustling!

3 strategies for retaining top talent, starting with letting them breathe

3 strategies for retaining top talent, starting with letting them breathe What’s the fastest way to lose your star talent? Drive your employees into the ground. Sure, “weekends at the office” persist in the corporate world. But in an age of always-connected-communication, is that the best strategy for attracting and keeping your stars while grooming a company’s future leaders? Corporate leaders are beginning to realize it’s not. That’s why JPMorgan Chase instituted a “Pencils Down” policy that asks employees to take weekends off from work. That’s right: one of the largest banks in the country is telling its employees to “Go home, enjoy your partners, your families, and your free time. We’ll see you Monday.” Is their policy a sign of the corporate culture to come, one that promotes free time as a valuable part of job satisfaction, creativity, and productivity? Maura Thomas from RegainYourTime.com thinks so. She talks about corporate productivity in her upcoming book, Work Without Walls: An Executive’s Guide to Attention Management, Productivity, and the Future of Work, and told me that maintaining enthusiastic, productive employees is about encouraging off-hours time â€" not shrinking it. Technology has favored long hours from employees for too long. When the culture demands constant connectivity, the staff doesn’t produce better results â€" they leave. Want to slow human resources’ revolving door and groom long-term company managers and leaders instead? Thomas shared her strategies with me on retaining talent and managing people to prevent burnout. 1. Embrace “attention management” instead of time management Want to encourage high-quality work that’s produced quickly? Minimize interruptions. Time that’s spent on tasks with divided attention is less effective than time spent while focused, without interruption. So managers and workplaces need to support environments and habits that encourage focus, rather than multi-tasking. She calls this concept “ attention management” and it needs support from management practices such as: Designating meeting-free days Creating quiet spaces in open-floor plan offices Forgoing email for urgent and time-sensitive information, using phone calls or instant messaging instead 2. Discourage after-hours communication An always-on manager may think: “What if I have a really important thought that I don’t want to forget? Can’t I just send Paul in accounting a quick little text, or Debra in sales a short (ok, medium-to-long) email?” To cultivate focus and attention management in the workplace, Thomas says, “No.” After-hours emails speed up always-on corporate cultures â€" and that, in turn, chips away at creativity, innovation, and true productivity, she says. While it may seem like working long hours will help you get ahead, there is no research that proves productivity increases with more than 40 hours of work per week. In fact, there is ample evidence that it doesn’t. “Being connected in off-hours during mission-critical projects is the sign of a high-performer,” says Thomas. “But never disconnecting is the sign of a workaholic, and there is a difference.” Her suggestion? Model disconnecting: outside of emergencies, do not send or respond to after-hours communication. Checking in on evenings, weekends and during vacations means you’re missing the opportunity to get some distance from work â€" distance that’s critical to the fresh perspective knowledge workers need. 3. Be vacation-friendly Which starts with taking yours, and, encouraging theirs. John Donahoe, the CEO of Ebay , summed it up best when he said, “ Time off pays off…time spent away to refresh and refocus is really not time off. It’s just time better spent.” According to Thomas, corporate America’s vacation policies are truly broken. American workers already forfeit a large percentage of their existing paid time off. And when they do take it, they don’t really disconnect from the office. That’s an excellent recipe for burnout, or put another way: a solid strategy for keeping a good employee for a year or two, then abruptly losing him or her, forcing you to re-recruit, re-train, and start another short-term cycle. Because our offices are now in the palm of our hands, the latest idea in corporate America is to mesh the new work realities with new vacation policies. This translates to “unlimited vacation time!” which sounds amazing, until employees realize it actually means “no vacation time.” Instead of enjoying a book at the beach, your employees (or you) are texting away, lost in Google Docs and Dropbox while friends and family laugh and play. It isn’t a pretty picture. The solution? Don’t check email or other communications while on vacation, and don’t require employees to do so, either. Be clear with your team in communicating support for taking paid time off and being fully away from work during vacations. Executives and managers are in the driver’s seat to create productive work environments that recruit, retain and reward knowledge workers for their brainpower and productivity. These three healthy work culture strategies are the keys to success. Join Dana Manciagli’s Job Search Master Class right now and immediately access the most comprehensive job search system currently available!

Resume Writing Apps - Do You Need Them?

Resume Writing Apps - Do You Need Them?There are a lot of tools and software available that can be used for your resume writing. They range from template design and function software to online resume writer and multi-level marketing companies. Regardless of the tool you choose, the more you know about the process, the better chance you will have of doing a good job on your resume.One of the most basic skills you can learn when it comes to resume writing is to write down everything that is important. Many people find it difficult to remember information in the many different sections of a resume. The good news is that you can create a master resume that you can refer to time again, by using resume writing apps that come with the software package.One of the best resume writing apps that you can use for your resume is called WritPad. This software is very flexible and can be configured to work on a variety of computer types and operating systems. It also has the capability to be run on your mobile device. It also comes with a number of different templates to choose from.You can use the templates to add some personal touches to your resume by including signature fields for each section. This allows you to not only include your signature, but also to include the company name and email address. This makes the resume stand out and ensure that the reader sees your name and contact information, rather than having to retype your information.Another great resume writing app is the Professional Resume Software Package. This software package is designed for both small and large businesses alike. It has a range of templates that can help you create the perfect resume for any situation.One of the most popular sections of this professional resume software is the resume summary. The summary section includes a pre-written section where you can write a detailed description of why you want the position. It also includes sections for creating your educational background and informa tion on a work history.The next section that is available in the professional resume software is the resume writer. Here you can learn how to use the resume writing software to create a professional looking resume. The resume writer has sections that allow you to add your job history, skills, education and references.You can even use this software to create a skill list. The skill list includes things like college courses and certifications. You can also add in contact information as well as a working example of a resume.